Easel



(No Model.)

I. s. FROST.

EASEL. I

' Patented Apr. 10,1883.

WlTNEEEEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS S. FROST, OF ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

EAS EL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,631, dated April10, 1883. Application filed February 17, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS S.FROsT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Arlington, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Easels, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a front elevation of an easel having my improvementapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of. the shelf and itsclamping and guiding mechanism enlarged, Fig.3 is a horizontal sectionon the line 00 a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a perspective view of theclamping device detached. Fig. 5 is a vertical section-on the line 3/ yof Fig.3. Fig. 6is a horizontal section on the line 2 z of Fig. 2.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and convenientdevice for guiding the shelf or picture-support upon the center bar ofan easel and firmly fastening it at any desired height thereon; and myinvention consists in a pair of guides or clasps pivoted to the shelfand adapted to slide upon the center bar or post against which they areclamped, to hold the shelf in any desired position, by the action of alooped lever or bail pivoted to the guides and adapted to wedge or forcethem toward each other against the center bar when depressed by thehand,as hereinafter described.

My invention also consists in certain details of construction, ashereinafter set forth and specifically claimed.

In the said drawings,A A represent the side pieces, and B the center baror post, of the front portion or frame of an easel, connected together,as usual, by cross-bars a b.

O is the movable shelf or picture-support, within a recess, d, at theback of which are pivoted, at e e, two metallic guides or clasps, D D,each provided with a lip or flange, j, which fits into and slides in agroove, 9, in the side of the central post, B, thus holding the shelf 0upon the post B, and allowing itto be moved up and down thereon.

To the outer sides of the-guides D D are pivoted, at h, the ends of alooped lever or bail, G, the inner surfaces, i t, of which fit closelyagainst theinclined outer surfaces, k k, of the guides D, the action ofthe leverGbeing such that when raised, as seen in Fig. 4, it will permitthe guides to separate to their greatest extent, when they will slidefreely upon the post B and allow the shelf 0 to be adjusted to anydesired position, while the depression of the lever G by the hand intothe position seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 5 will cause the lower ends of theguides D to be wedged or forced toward each other and clamped firmlyagainst the opposite sides of the post B, thus holding the shelf 0firmly and immovably in any position in which it may be set, andpreventing it from wabbling or tipping down at either end.

The inner surfaces, i i, of the lever G and the outer surfaces, k k, ofthe guides D may both be made inclined or of wedge form, or one straightand the other inclined, as preferred; but the surfaces in contact mustbe so formed and'adapted to each other that the depression of the leverwill cause the lower ends of the guides to approach each other and bethereby clamped against the post B.

When the back lof the shelf 0 is of considerable height, an additionalguiding-clamp,

H, Figs. 2 and 6, having flanges fitting into the grooves g g, may beemployed, if desired, to keep the top of the back I close to the post Bwhen a heavy picture is placed upon the shelf.

The above-described clamping device is simple, cheap, and not liable toget out of order, and is adapted for use either in'upright or slopingeasels.

Instead of the guides D being constructed to slide in groovesg in thepost B, as shown, they may wholly embrace the two opposite sides of thepost, in which case the flanges f would extend over onto the rear sideof the post.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an ease], the combination, with the movable shelf 0 and centerpost, B, of the guides or clasps D D, pivoted to the shelf and adaptedto slide upon the post, and the looped lever or bail G, pivoted to theguides D, and adapted to clamp the same upon the post B,

allcoustrueted to operate substantially as and l on the post,substantially in the manner and 10 for the purpose set forth. for thepurpose described.

2. In an easel, the combination, with the E \Vitness my hand this 13thdayof February, movable shelf (J and center post, 13, of the A.D.18S3.guides or olusps D D, pivoted to the shelf, and 1 having flanges or lipsf, sliding in grooves g l in the post, and the looped lever or ball G,piv- 1 oted to the guides D, and adapted to Wedge or force them towardeach other and clamp them 1 FRANCIS S. FROST.

In presence (if-- P. E. TESCHEMACHER, W. J. CAMBRIDGE.

